School closed for marriage of Head Master’s son, staff suspended

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 4: Going tough on the teachers with clear message, ‘perform or perish’, Education Minister  Naeem Akhtar  today directed suspension of entire staff of the Govt High School, Bhagla in Bharath area  of district Doda as the school was found closed in view of the marriage of Headmaster’s son on Tuesday.
The School Headmaster, Sayeda Anjum, without any authority or seeking directions from the top declared closure of the school on Tuesday, thus affecting the studies of over 300 plus students of this High School in remote area of Doda.
The vigilant village Sarpanch, rang up the Minister for  Education, Naeem Akhtar, stating that the school was closed and no students and teachers were there today while there was  no official holiday.  Upon this, the Minister directed the Director School Education Jammu Smita Sethi and DC Doda to take cognizance and suspend all. The Chief Education Officer Doda, M S Rather was asked to hold inquiry into the matter and report back immediately.
Upon this, Principal of the nearby Govt Higher Secondary School, Bharat and Naib Tehsildar of the area were directed to hold on the spot inquiry. When they reached at 12.45 pm at school, they found  there was a notice of school closer in view of marriage of one Touseef Ahmed (Headmaster’s son) pasted on the wall of the school on the direction of Headmaster. One teacher Abdul Latief Bandey was found there and  one room was opened and Sarpanch was also there in the school.  No student from Class Ist to 10th was found in the classes. All the teachers and clerical staff were also found absent.
Taking serious note of the act and misuse of powers by the Headmaster, Sayeda Anjum, the CEO Doda Mohd Ashraf Rather  and the Director School Education Jammu Ms  Sethi placed the entire staff including Master Javed Iqbal, Shakeel Ahmed Tr,  Bilal Ahmed, Nar Singh, Nazir Ahmed and others under suspension.   It was further directed that the suspended staff shall remain attached in the same school during the period of suspension.
The Education Minister  appealed all the Sarpanches and Panches in the State to closely monitor the functioning of schools and attendance of the teachers in their respective areas and intimate him directly on phone or to the Cell he has created  in his office for taking immediate cognizance of such matters.

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